Millhouse

Women only to work in Saudi Arabia lingerie shops

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16412202

Well, it does sort of make sense... I don't believe for one minute though that this will create jobs for Saudi women. More like Filipinas.

kittycat1

This is going ahead

LaLaLayla

I remember reading - on here, I think - that lingerie stores in the Kingdom were manned entirely by Indian men. I remember thinking how strange that would be. Oh, and the mannequins were not allowed to have heads. They were beheaded. Is that right, Kittycat1?

kittycat1

hey lala, our stores in Saudi are generally staffed by arabic men or women- we have family stores that only single women or married couples are allowed in - so no single men allowed into stores with female staff. We have no indian staff in Saudi- all local. We have over 70 stores in Saudi.

Yes the mannequins have to be beheaded, and you can't show lingerie in the window- only nightwear- all images that have a female body in them have to be blacked out so that you can't see any skin/hair. Any images of lingerie has to be shot from a 3/4 degree angle and you can't show the gusset of a knicker- Its very complex and a marketing nightmare!

Now here's a question to you all;

If your female staff have to wear and abaya and veil, how do you make them stand out to the customer who is also wearing an abaya and veil- one of the problems I am currently working on lol

Ronnie Biggs

Buying underwear for the missus in the Middle East makes me feel like I'm a pervert wandering around a sex shop in Bradford. It's uncomfortable and you sense all the pent up aversions to sex the region has to offer. Better to give her some money and tell her to get it herself....

kittycat1

really Ronnie- our best sales tend to be to men- and its a substantial part of our business. Maybe you behave like a pervert wandering around- are you smelling the knickers or anything lol.

i took Spugsy lingerie shopping for his missus and I have never seen a man change from a strapping confident lad to a wimpering mute so quickly lol

Why do men find it so frightening- its just underwear boys!

kittycat1

I may have posted these before but they seem relevant to this converstaion

kittycat1

and another one

LaLaLayla

I am so fascinated by all this. Having a bit of a lingerie obsession myself

kittycat1

Lala I know-it is an interesting area.I mean most people are interested in what I do when I was working in the UK but bringing it here brings it to a whole new level- it takes a long time to get your head around it all. I'm thinking I might right a book about it all once I'm done here.

iamthestig

My missus reckoned that getting her bra size properly measured a few years ago was a very liberating experience, how has this been done in KSA up until now kittycat?

The Indian guys working in the lingerie shops wouldn't have been able to touch their customers to measure them properly, so I guess they were just asking Ganesha (the Remover of Obstacles) for guidance...

kittycat1

Iamthestig- It hasn't really- obviously the male workers haven't been able to offer a measuring service to women here. If you think in the UK it is estimated that 80% of women wear the wrong size then you can imagine its about 99.9% here. Even in Dubai I have seen women being measured over their abayas- not exactly accurate...

You should be remeasured if you gain or loose 5 lbs as this can effect your bust size and bras worn regularly should be changed every 6 months- especially out here as the elastane degrades. most women have no idea how a bra should fit correctly and to get the right bra measuring only offers a guide as the best bra fit also depends on how soft or firm a womans bust is, also which style may suit a woman better, so a soft bust is better suited to a balconette or a full cup bra, firmis for plunge neck other wise you get cut in on the neckline. anyway I won't bore you with the details. Silicon is a whole other story and actually silcon is very difficult to buy bras for.

Millhouse

I'm no expert, but I think this lady hasn't been measured properly.

iamthestig

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article558916.ece

I didn't realise that this was actually made law in 2006, but never enforced... Typical of KSA, they also signed up to a UN human rights charter allowing women to drive, freedom to travel etc... many years ago and have done bugger all about it. What a delightful place this is

kittycat1

Iamstig- it's been a bit like the emirates ID card-yes/no/yes/no and it is difficult to put into lace. Our store staffs safety has to come first so we have had to work out the best way of doing this. It is in our interest to have women in the stores as we can offer a better service etc.